NCAA Div. II playoffs: Winston-Salem St. beats Shippensburg 37-14

Shippensburg's Mike Frenette carries the football against Winston-Salem State in the NCAA Division II playoffs at Bowman-Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C. Frenette wrapped his career by rushing eight times for 44 yards against the Rams in Ship's 37-14 loss. Sat., Nov. 24 2012/BILL SMITH, Shippensburg U.

It was a disappointing end to a record-breaking season for the Shippensburg Red Raiders.

The Winston-Salem State Rams beat Shippensburg 37-14 Saturday in the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs at Bowman-Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Ship junior quarterback Zach Zulli tied the D-II single season record with his 54th touchdown pass of the season, to Trevor Harman (Cumberland Valley) for the Raiders' only offensive score of the game, but he did not have good day. Zulli was picked off three times, part of five turnovers by Ship.

Ship finishes the season with an 11-2 mark. Unbeaten and Super Region 1 top-seed WSSU (12-0) will meet IUP -- the Crimson Hawks (12-1) were 17-14 winners over New Haven (Conn.) -- in the national quarterfinals.

Zulli's strike to Harman, a 3-yard pass capping a quick two-play, 9-yard drive late in the first half tied him with Valdosta State's Dusty Bonner for the most TD passes thrown in one D-II season. Bonnor set the mark in 2000.

Zulli finished the game 25 of 56 for 218 yards with one score and those three picks. His 4,747 yards passing established a new PSAC single-season mark, breaking the record set by East Stroudsburg's Jimmy Terwilliger in 2005 (4,571).

But those records probably don't mean much right now. Ship set itself up for a tough afternoon Saturday by not taking care of the football. The Raiders turned it over five times, including a pair of fumbles.

WSSU's Maurice Lewis opened the scoring with a 49-yard jaunt through Ship's defense midway through the first quarter. Ship's Blair Brooks responded immediately by returning the kickoff 55 yards to the Rams 22. But four plays later, Drew Newcomer's 32-yard field goal attempt was blocked, setting the tone for an afternoon of mistakes and missed opportunities.

Ship's Brian Brooks (22) returns a kickoff in the first half of the Raiders' D-II national playoff game at Winston-Salem State. Brooks had KO returns of 55 and 86 yards. His 86-yarder set up his team's second TD late in the first half. Nov. 24, 2012/BILL SMITH, Shippensburg U.

The Raiders used defense to crack the scoreboard early in the second quarter, when Brian Sourber picked off Rams quarterback Anthony Carrothers and returned it 63 yards for a touchdown.

But Newcomer's PAT try was blocked, and 7-6 was as close as Ship would get the rest of the way.

Carrothers and wide out Jameze Massey would hook up twice on TD passes worth 102 yards (69 and 33, respectively) later in the second, two of three times the Rams dented the end zone during the quarter en route to a 28-6 lead.

But Brooks struck again late in the half with an 86-yard kickoff return, setting the Raiders up at the WSSU 9. Two plays later, Zulli found Harman to shave it to 28-14 before the break.

The Rams capped a long 12-play, 58-yard drive with under four minutes to play in the third quarter with a 31-yard field goal by Landen Thayer for a 31-14 lead.

Frenette fumbled on the first snap of the ensuing possession at the Ship 20, with the loose ball being recovered by WSSU's Darryl Pulliam.

Seven plays later Carrothers found Jerry Chandler from four yards out for his third TD pass of the game to make it 37-14. The PAT try was missed.

Carrothers finished 19 of 37 for 332 yards with an interception to go with those three scores.

In essence, WSSU's quarterback had the kind of day Ship needed from Zulli if the Raiders had any hope of upsetting the top-seeded Rams.

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